Grateful for others

Lately, especially over the past year, we've all seen the psycho-babble about finding something to be grateful for each day. I usually think "Gee, isn't that nice?" with a sneer on my face. I'm more the type who wallows in self-pity. I'm smart enough to know that I'm better off than literally billions of others on this planet in terms of health, finances, housing, food, hell--just about everything. I know that, but sometimes it's hard to remember, like these last 72 hours. I had a productive day planned on Saturday. I managed to get only the first thing done when my car just turned off WHILE I WAS DRIVING!!! I could have been killed! Fortunately, gratefully, I was near the entrance to a parking lot and was able to push the car to a relatively safe spot with the help of 2 strangers who jumped out of their cars and ran over to help me. Got a tow to my mechanic and they ordered a part for replacement the next day. Because the car started at that point, they sent me on my way. Too afraid to drive the rest of the day, I stayed home and did laundry. Still terrified to drive back to my mechanic on Sunday, my friend Willie followed me to make sure I'd make it there, then dropped me off at my Brownsbackers bar so I could watch football. After the game, my friend Becky picked me up from the bar and took me to pick up my car. I'm grateful to have friends who took time out of their weekend to help me out. I was still apprehensive about driving the car, but I made it through the weekend. On the way to work Monday, the 'check engine' light came on, so I was back at my mechanic for the 3rd day in a row. They assumed the light came on because it was improperly reset during the repairs. I managed to get just one more errand done when the car stopped in the middle of traffic again. But now, I wasn't near a parking lot and I had on high heels. The car behind me pulled into the next lane and left, but fortunately, gratefully, the guy behind him pulled over to help push my car. Then a girl in another car put her emergency flashers on, jumped out of her car, and helped him push while I steered to a safe side street. I called my mechanic, and after a little while my car started, so I drove back there, shaking the whole way. The manager, who I've known forever, figured out the problem. He hadn't been there on Sunday, and he made a nasty phone call to the guy who was there and made the mistake. And they are paying for the rental car I now have while they fix my car tomorrow. For me, it always seems to be a bad situation that makes me grateful for others, because none of us can get through this life alone. I'm grateful for the goodness and kindness in others--friends and strangers who go out of their way for someone else. That's what it's all about.